No fewer than 18 pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, Osun State, were hospitalised after eating a mid-day meal served to them under the free school feeding programme of the state government.

The incident happened on Monday after the pupils ate a meal of rice and egg.

FIJ gathered that the pupils suffered diarrhoea after the meal, and they soon ended up in hospitals. Some have speculated that the eggs were bad and responsible for the stomach upset.

Reacting to the development, the state government ordered a halt to cooking in the school and launched an investigation.

Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Osun State, issued a statement saying the pupils had been treated and discharged.

The statement read, “Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo.

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“The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Ayodele. The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.

“The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning. Additionally, the governor has directed enforcement of food standards and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrences.

“Meanwhile, the government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola. The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.

“The total student population of the school is 200, while 103 are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme. A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.”